Union Bill Foes Question Ritter’s Goals

A measure advancing in the statehouse would ease the way for unions. Business groups say it flies in the face of the governor’s business-friendly campaign stance.

By Karen E. Crummy Denver Post Staff Writer

    Two large Colorado business groups Tuesday questioned Gov. Bill Ritter’s commitment to economic development given his likely support of a bill that makes it easier for unions to organize.

    During his campaign for governor, Ritter actively wooed the business community, indicating he would be at least as business friendly as his predecessor, Republican Bill Owens.

    But the fast-tracked prounion bill, emerging right at the start of Ritter’s administration, has angered business leaders.

    “(Ritter) never discussed this with the business groups. We didn’t read it in the Colorado Promise,” said Bill Ray, communications director for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, in reference to Ritter’s agenda for the state’s future. “We heard a lot from candidate Ritter about strengthening the economy, but this bill absolutely takes the wind out of Colorado’s economic competitive advantage.”

    Evan Dreyer, Ritter’s communications director, said the governor is “inclined to support” the union bill but also is fully committed to the state’s business community.

    “He is intent upon creating an economic climate that benefits working families and the business community,” he said.

    Dreyer also said Ritter spoke about the bill on the campaign trail. As for the timing, Dreyer said that Ritter doesn’t control when bills come out. House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said the measure came to the floor according to the same process as all bills.

    Still, others questioned whether early action on the pro-union bill foreshadows similar legislation coming down the pike later in the session.

“Anti-business climate”

    “If this is the beginning of going down a union-agenda path, that’s not good. This is item one that we feel creates an anti-business climate,” said William Mutch, executive director of Colorado Concern, which represents 100 Colorado executives.

    The union measure, which sailed through the House and is headed to the Senate, makes it easier for unions to organize in the workplace and to forge agreements where all employees must pay some fees or dues, regardless of whether they are members. Currently, unions cannot require that employees pay dues unless they belong to the union.

    Colorado is currently between a right-to-work state, which prohibits unions from making employees join or pay dues as a condition of employment, and states that allow unions to require nonmembers to pay dues.

    All-union agreements in Colorado must be voted on once by employees and then again by secret ballot. The second vote must pass by a simple majority of all those employees eligible to vote or 75 percent of those who voted, whichever is greater.

    The bill eliminates the second vote, which backers say removes unnecessary barriers to unions.

Job consequences feared

    Business leaders and groups contend that passage of the bill will hurt the state’s ability to compete for jobs and new companies. The states surrounding Colorado, except New Mexico, are among 23 states nationwide that have right-to-work laws, according to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.

    Should Ritter sign the measure, some business leaders are discussing putting a right-towork amendment on the November ballot that essentially erases the gains unions might achieve.